Love Is A Battle, Love Is A War
by Witch of the West
Summary: In their last year, a group of Ravenclaws learn things about each other that they never knew. They learn about love, true friendship and life. They learn to see things for what they really are.


The Ravenclaw common room was empty save for one soul. She was working on a huge Potions project. She was working hard and her quill was racing across her parchment. She wasn't stunning by any means but her humor made up for it. She was plain, average, ordinary. The only feature striking about her were her beautiful blue eyes. But they were hidden in a plain face, hidden behind natural eyebrows and bangs. If one looked hard they could see them. Because of this she had never experienced any romantic relationship. She was every guy's sister or best friend, never his eye-catcher. She wasn't slender but wasn't obese either. She played on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team as a Chaser, so she was athletic; but didn't look it. She hated everything about herself, even her eyes. And she would never be beautiful in her best friend's eyes. He would never see her that way. Not when he was very attractive and she wasn't. He would never look twice at her in that way. She was smart, witty, studious, sarcastic, funny and confused about normal life. She had no self-esteem; her parents stole that from her. She was ready to leave Hogwarts and her family. She was ready to be a Healer and work at St. Mungo's Hospital For Magical Maladies and Injuries. She was ready to find herself. 

But for now she was still in school and still had that NEWT Potions project to work on. The table she worked at was littered with books, parchment and broken quills. Her hair was falling out of its usual messy bun. Her eyes were strained in frustration as she searched for details on the pages of the book she had open. She closed that book, put it on a stack of books to her right and grabbed the last book to her left. She placed the book in front of her and opened it. As she opened the book the door to the common room opened and in stepped four boys of her age, laughing. They were all on the Quidditch team; one was the captain and the year's Head Boy. She didn't look up from her book as they entered and sat down on the room's couch. Nor did she look up as she spoke to them. 

"You do know that you're Ravenclaws right? You're not supposed to laugh about anything," she said sternly. However the boys saw the slight smile on her face.

"But what about when you're around?" the Head Boy/Quidditch Captain asked.

"Touché Davies," she responded. Never did she look up from her project. The boys noticed but paid no attention to it. She tired of the current book she was looking at and threw it to the other side of the table. She sighed and slouched back in her chair. As she did an idea struck her. She stood up and walked over to the bookcase beside the fireplace. She scanned the shelves and her eyes found a thin, leather bound book. She grabbed it and opened it. Her eyes scanned the first few pages and her eyes lit up and a smile grew on her face. She closed the book and made her way back to the table she was working on. As she did one of the boys caught sight of the title of the book: Obscure and Rare Potions. He jumped up from the couch and went over to the table. 

"Annie, are you working on your NEWT Potions project?" he asked her. 

"Yeah, Rob," Annie answered. Davies and the two other boys joined Rob at the table. 

"Let us see it," one said. Annie looked at him. 

"I don't think so, James," she replied.

"Just a little hint?" the other boy asked.

"I don't know Amos. How do I know you guys won't steal my idea?" Annie asked.

"We won't," Davies said. Annie shook her head and picked up her things. She went over to the girls' dormitory entrance and up to her dorm. Rob looked to Davies.

"She won't tell you? Looks like we'll never find out Roger," Rob said to him.

"Just because she's my best friend doesn't mean she'll tell me everything. But that must be some secret. She usually tells me things about school," Roger said. 

They watched as Annie strolled back into the common room with a letter in hand and a depressed look on her face. They watched as she sat in front of the fire and read the letter. She ripped the letter in two and put one half in the fire. She held the other half in the flames and took it out. She held the piece as it burned; the fire mirrored in her eyes. Eventually she put the burning half into the fire and watched it turn to ash. She stood up and saw the boys watching her as she had watched the letter burn. 

"Who was it from?" Roger asked. Annie looked back toward the fire before she answered.

"My parents."

"What'd they say?" 

"The usual." Roger nodded in understanding. He looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"It's not your fault, it's mine," she stated matter-of-factly. 

"The usual? Your fault? Annie what's going on?" Rob asked. 

"My parents like to compare me to everyone else in the world. I'm not the perfect daughter by any means. I never have been and never will be. And I hate that. That letter was just reminding me of my faults, like all the letters I get from my parents," Annie explained. "They always tell me to remember my blood line and where I came from. They remind me constantly of what I'm supposed to do with my life and what my duties are."

"Duties?" Rob asked, the ever-curious one. 

"Roger didn't tell you? I'm the heir to Ravenclaw." Rob's, James' and Amos' mouths dropped. Their eyes went wide as they stared at Annie. Annie took a deep breath and looked at all four boys. 

"The Rodericks have been the heirs to Ravenclaw since Rowena herself. I am a direct blood relative to her. By being an heir, I have to uphold duties to the title. I must find someone of the right background and of… what's the word… power? No, that's not the right word. Someone of… the right nobility. Or so that's what my parents say. They want me to marry someone who can help me keep up the family honor. I'm an only child and it's up to me to keep the family name and honor going. It's not as if I asked for this. I was born into it. Nothing has prepared me for this and nothing ever will. I don't think I'll ever be ready. My parents think the same thing, so I need to find someone to help me and keep me in line," she said mimicking her mother's voice on the last few words. Roger laughed a little; she had recreated her mother's voice perfectly. He had heard it so many times before. He listened as Annie continued speaking in her own voice. "I hate it so much. I never do anything right for them and it kills me. Everything I do is wrong. Every time I do something it's never right or good enough. If I get good marks, I should be playing Quidditch. If I play Quidditch, I should be doing something more ladylike. I never win in their bloody game. I never win." 

"Why don't you ever win?" Amos asked.

"Because her parents don't think she's smart enough, athletic enough or pretty enough to find a 'suitable' husband," Roger explained. Annie looked at him, shocked. "I heard your parents talking one day when I was over at your house. They know they're playing a game with you, Annie. They know what they're doing. They've perfected it over the years. They've been playing this game with you because they want you to marry me." Everyone turned to look at him.

"What?" Annie asked.

"Your parents want you to marry me. Apparently I come from a good background and my lineage is good. They figure that since I'm your best friend it would be a perfect match. They were practically jumping for joy when I overheard them. They said it had worked. That when I moved in next door to you twelve years ago and had become your best friend that day, it worked."

"But you're like my brother!" Annie protested. 

"They still seem to think that it would work out. They even talked to my parents about it. My parents started to ask me different questions about you and they were all about if I thought that you were pretty or attractive. They asked if I fancied you since I spent so much time with you. They asked if you and I had something going on."

"Well, we certainly have a predicament, don't we?" Rob said. "We'll help you Annie. Maybe we can shake off your parents or do something to help ease this whole thing."

"Thank you Rob. If you guys don't mind I'm going to go to bed," Annie said. 

"Good night, Annie," James, Amos and Rob said. Roger didn't say anything; he just stared after her as she left. Rob, Amos and James turned to Roger. They saw him run a hand through his hair and sit on the couch with a sigh. They sat down also, either on the couch or in a chair. 

"How long have you known about this?" Rob asked. He faced Roger from the plush blue chair he sat in.

"For about four years. Her real name's not Annie. That's her middle name," Roger said. 

"What's her real name?" Rob asked.

"Rowena. She hates that name. It only reminds her of her bloodline."

"Are you going to marry her?" James asked from next to Roger on the couch. 

"Only if she'll let me."


End file.
